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NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, July-August 2014
Leveraging
Technology...
(
Continued from page 44)
staff, several areas were identified
where the use of communication and
collaboration technologies may benefit
outage coordination activities. One of
the first areas identified for application
of technology was for the Issues
Response Team (IRT), which is a team
of individuals assembled to understand
and facilitate the needed recovery actions
for resolving issues discovered during
a refueling outage. The IRT is assigned
emergent issues by the OCC that require
the coordination of several groups. These
emergent issues may challenge the critical
path of a refueling outage. The IRT
primarily is tasked with the development,
communication, and implementation of a
recovery plan until a clear path to success
is apparent.
LWRS
Program
researchers
observed the IRT during the spring 2013
refueling outage. Based on previous
research of emergent issues resolution,
LWRS Program researchers identified
areas where technology could improve
IRT function. Some of the areas identified
include the following:
Information Management
. A
standardized method for storage
and retrieval of information was
needed. Information was stored in
an individual’s e-mail and shared
network folders; printed material
was only available in the team room.
A simple text turnover log was the
extent of the formal documentation.
Collaboration
. A standardized
method of sharing information was
needed. Team meetings were held
to share information and formulate
plans. For example, the team used
dry erase boards to collect ideas
presented during the meetings.
Action items were assigned, but
follow up was difficult without an
effective tracking tool. Likewise, it
was difficult to share information
with subject matter experts and
others working on the issue who
were geographically dispersed.
Status Updates
. A standardized
method for communicating updated
information was needed. The IRT
leader took notes on a paper pad
and then walked to the OCC to give
management (i.e., the Shift Outage
Director) a verbal update on the status
of the issue. In addition, the IRT
leader provided updated information
to other department managers via
telephone conversation without the
use of any visual support.
To address these needs, LWRS
Program researchers developed a
study scenario that uses collaboration
technology based on an actual issue
worked by the IRT during a previous
outage. This scenario highlighted
the advantages of the standard issues
package using collaboration technology
to manage information for emergent
issues. The standard issues package is a
template using collaboration software to
consistently collect, organize, and share
information. The standard issues package
includes tabs for photos, drawings,
schedule impacts, actions items, etc. The
technology was shared with Palo Verde
Nuclear Generating Station staff during
the LWRS Program Utility Working
Group meeting held in Idaho Falls, Idaho
on August 20 to 22, 2013.
Prior to Palo Verde Nuclear
Generating Station’s fall 2013 refueling
outage, several communication and
collaboration tools were chosen to support
performance of the IRT. Microsoft
OneNote and WebEx
TM
were used as
collaboration software tools. OneNote
is a computer program for free-form
information gathering and is a multi-user
collaboration software tool that allows
multiple users to simultaneously add and
modify content to the standard issues
package, allowing for nearly real time
information sharing. WebEx provides
on-demand
collaboration,
online
meeting, web conferencing, and video
conferencing applications. In addition,
Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station
purchased a 70-inch touch screen monitor
for use in the IRT room. Video cameras
for remote collaboration also were added
to the IRT room and the OCC.
IRT templates that included the
necessary procedural forms were built
to support IRT issue tracking and
resolution. A standardized file structure
and instructions were developed for issue
documentation. Training was held with
IRT managers and staff prior to the start
of the refueling outage to familiarize
personnel with the new collaboration
tools.
Palo Verde Nuclear Generating
Station implemented the technology
upgrades and modified the IRT process to
take advantage of the new collaboration
tools during the fall 2013 refueling
outage. LWRS Program researchers
observed the IRT’s use of the technology
to evaluate both its effectiveness and to
identify any issues and shortcomings in
its expected use. The IRT professionally
managed several issues during the fall
2013 refueling outage, including an
identified leak located on one of the
nozzles on the bottom of the reactor
vessel for reactor instrumentation known
as bottom-mounted instrumentation
(BMI).
The IRT used the standard issues
package created using OneNote from the
initial assignment by the OCC. Because
of the complex nature of the BMI issue,
the entire Palo Verde Nuclear Generating
Station organization was mobilized to
develop a thorough response and repair
plan. The value of the collaboration tool
was quickly recognized by Palo Verde
Nuclear Generating Station management
due to the standard issues package being
network accessible and updateable by
numerous users simultaneously. The
standard issues package was used to
coordinate and document every aspect
of the inspections, recovery planning,
and repair, including industry operating
experience,
materials,
engineering,
schedule impacts, and task assignments.
The standard issues package was
accessible from any workstation on
site; therefore, the OCC received fewer
ad hoc status queries. A similar BMI
Diagram of Issues Response Team
Collaboration Tools.
